Allgemeine Geschichte der Literatur. Ein Handbuch in 2 Bänden

Johannes Scherr published his 'Allgemeine Geschichte der Literatur' in the mid-19th century as a comprehensive effort to catalog world literary history for the German-speaking public. Written during a period of burgeoning nationalist and academic interest in literary canons, the two-volume set sought to provide a structured, accessible overview of human expression from antiquity through the modern era.

The work was designed as a didactic handbook, reflecting the rigorous scholarly standards of the time. Scherr, a historian and literary critic, employed a narrative style intended to synthesize diverse cultural movements into a cohesive historical progression. While it became a staple reference for students and educated laypeople in late 19th-century Germany, its reputation has since shifted, viewed today primarily as an artifact of its period's specific historiographical perspectives.